The Nepali Congress has decided to take the initiative to form a new government in Koshi Province under its leadership.

A meeting of the top leaders of the party held at the party’s President Sher Bahadur Deuba’s residence on Tuesday morning decided to make all efforts to form a Congress-led government as per an earlier agreement in the coalition. Deuba has taken a stand on forming a Congress-led government as per an earlier deal in the alliance.

Emerging from the meeting, the Congress publicity department chief Min Bishwakarma said the meeting decided to take the initiative to form the government in Koshi under its leadership.

Uddhav Thapa, Congress provincial assembly leader, was appointed chief minister twice but he could not secure a trust vote.

Koshi Province Head Parshuram Khapung on Saturday called upon provincial members to stake their claim for the post of chief minister and form a government in the province.

Issuing a notice on Saturday, Khapung asked members of the Koshi provincial assembly who can garner a vote of confidence in the assembly to stake claim for the chief ministerial position by 5pm on October 13 in accordance with article 168(5) of the constitution.

The move came following the resignation of Chief Minister Hikmat Kumar Karki ahead of voting on a trust motion scheduled at the provincial assembly.

UML provincial assembly leader Karki, who was appointed chief minister as per Article 168 (3) of the constitution on September 8 following a Supreme Court’s order had to secure a vote of confidence within Saturday as per the constitutional provision.